Res Ipsa Loquitur - the thing speaks for itself: “I have made the defense, the protection, and the preservation of American Democracy the central cause of my presidency. “From Gettysburg to my Inaugural Address, to the anniversary of the January 6th insurrection, to Independence Hall in Philadelphia, and Union Station in Washington, I’ve spoken about the danger of election denialism and political violence and the battle for the soul of America.
In my opinion, Biden’s speech was epic today ! Yes, he has his flaws (as we all do ) and many criticize him for not “fighting “ back, weak messaging ++.But I believe his timing is spot on. He was waiting for the house of cards to start tumbling down…💙 Although we all have much work to do…✍️📣🏃🏻♀️📞
They just need to adhere to the democratic party of LBJ (without Nam), People in Texas,
remembered who had fought for their very existence. remember that and counter the propaganda - every single bit. Ignoring it brought us here, Repubs have made us their enemy, and chump reiterates this with every breath.
Well, Joe and Kamala are not who I was thinking of when I stated that the DNC needs younger blood and maybe a brain transplant.
In fact, I must retract my statement and admit I was quite mistaken about who comprises the Chair and Vice chairs of the DNC. The Chairman and Vice Chairs of the DNC are younger than I thought. The Chair of the DNC is Jaime Harrison and Vice Chairs are Tammy Duckworth, Gretchen Whitmer and Henry Muñoz, III. I'm not sure why I thought the DNC was made up of more complacent, somewhat out-of-touch older Dems (like me--ouch. I was being ageist, too...my bad!!!), but clearly it is not and I apologize.
I might ordinarily agree that the party could use younger leadership were we not in the midst of this generation's FDR administration. I would hope to see the pivot underway be complete and legs firmly in place for the progressive transformation Mr Biden and Ms Harris have committed us to. Besides, Ms Harris is a member of the younger generation. My hopes are that the Biden/Harris second administration recruits and mentors rising stars into the administration, into leadership positions, in order to both realize the goals we aspire to in this transformation and to prepare them to lead forward from experience as well as youthful charisma. In what could possibly be my last presidential election in 2028, I'd welcome a field of candidates bred by Joe !nd Kamala competing for that high office who know what they are talking about and weren't compelled to offer a new and grand alternative simply to be competitive with a MAGA alternative. Remember we are trying to Build Back Better, not reinvent.
We've got the young but they are deferring to Joe, which is why I hold out hope that Joe will hand the baton to one of them next year. It would jolt and jumpstart the whole election process. The GOP would be knocked back on its heels.
The last time a President did such a thing was LBJ in 1968. I don't think I need to restate the history that flowed from that decision. Watch - the public is figuring out what is what with Trump, and the House Republicans are going to "get theirs" for what they are doing.
yeah...we've got to continue to quell this kind of talk. if the last seven or four years had been completely different (i.e.--"normal" on any level), and if there were a group of highly active, vocal, visible, young Dems, right now would be late in the game to start grooming one of them to run a good campaign and win, but it would be a POSSIBILITY.
but the last eight years have been the last eight years. history is not "normal" (if it ever was). the equivalent to Vietnam now is, oddly enough, not a philosophy or policy but a subliterate, sociopathic slumlord. period.
do a two-minute thought experiment...it ends with TFF back in the catbird seat, at which point the historians must start to sharpen their pencils for those long, probing elegies for our "experiment in self-rule," assuming their jailers allow them writing materials.
if anything, what's going on now is a whole lot less complicated than they were then...
But more importantly, in those few minutes, President Biden spoke the unvarnished truth not only *to* us; he spoke it *for* us - for those who believe in the power of ideals - to those who believe only in blood and soil and power. And he could have not been more clear in what he said.
And it's about time.
The gloves are off. And while the President may indeed be old, while he may appear frail at times, were those the words of a *weak* man, of a man of anything other than strong heart and strong character? A man who's the anthesis of the man and the movement hell bent on the destruction of American idealism and democracy and all which that would mean?
In a more perfect world, we'd perhaps have a more physically vigorous and charismatic leader. But in the realities of the world we're actually living in with the challenges we face, I'll take the character of the leader we have over charisma, and inward strength and resolve over mere physical strength all day, any day.
And if you can't get on board with and support Joe Biden and this message he's now delivered because you think he's too old or that he doesn't have some of his other political priorities straight enough to suit you, remember there's always a choice: one can lead, or one can follow. Or one can get the hell out of the fucking way.
I took it for its literal definition, "the thing stands on its own", meaning the speech really didn't need any further explanation or comment, which it really doesn't, actually. It was pretty doggone clear. But me...I've got a big mouth sometimes and just can't always leave things alone when it comes to this particular subject.
Thank you TC for featuring Joe Biden's speech today. He is of the generation that speaks softly but meaningfully. He said "Pay your fair share" three times. And tfg and the other extremists ignored it and kept blathering away. And now they will pay.
This afternoon on Ari Melber's show he aired the video of Biden's comments today at the library dedication on when John McCain first saw Cindy. Joe and John were together and John was struck by her. Joe told the story in a joking conspiratorial manner with whispers and smiles. He finally found someone to introduce them. Afterwords Ari had Cindy on and asked if she remembered it happening that way. She said yes exactly, "I remember it like it was yesterday".
I was struck by the revealing that they are real people like us. I can't find the tape of just that story, if someone else can please post it here because I'm sure our landlord would love it.
Yes, and then he had to divorce the wife who stuck with him while he was in prison so he could marry the new improved model - who came with political financing from Daddy, owner of the biggest Beer Distributor in the Southwest.
Sorry, I have no interest in the third iteration of the McCain failures. Grampaw ran the fleet into two different typhoons and tried to push the blame off on his task group commanders. Pappy screwed the pooch with Vietnam. Sonny boy graduated at the bottom of his Annapolis class and got Naval Aviation - typically reserved for the top 10%. Then when he was flathatting across Spain and pulled down the main power line in southern Spain with his tailhook - plunging the country into a 2-day blackout, he got transferred immediately back to the States before any identification of the culprit.
When he was shot down (after violating Rule #1: do not turn around and fly over the place you just bombed at low altitude and low speed), he had just been informed he had been passed over for a third time for promotion from LCDR to CDR, meaning he would stay in the Navy until 20 years, no more promotions. Once he was on the Hanoi Hilton Promotion Gravy Train (promotions on time with no questions) he came out of there a Captain. Placed in command of NAS Jacksonville, he flunked again. There would be no third Admiral McCain. The Navy put him in the congressional liason office (getting big boy fun for old boys so they would give the big boys the big boys' toys) he decided he liked politics. He just needed to find financing and a state he could run in...
The McCain Myth is just that. In three generations.
Well, if you put it that way sure. But it's campaign season and all our sorry ass media is going to mention is what was said today, not the ancient history that you and I share. Not like I ever crashed a jet or blew up an aircraft carrier or anything, but the timelines match. Joe knows what he's doing and he told his yarn well.
All of that may be true Tom, having been married 3 times I’m no saint either, I do know one thing, I will honor John McCain until there is no life in me because of his time as a POW, and I would have walked into hell with him if he had asked. So we can disagree my friend because I have unshakable admiration for our departed Senator whose last vote in the senate saved millions from losing their health insurance, and pissed off the insipid one no end.
My guess is the repugnantkin party, John wanted to pick Lieberman who was his good friend and a Democrat, and would probably been a game changer, the party wanted one of their own and went after the youth vote. Didn’t like her then, like her even less today.
I supported him in that campaign, I went to see him when he won the CA primary that year. I was interviewed by NPR and I told them why I supported him, the next morning here in Atlanta my friends woke up to my comments about a man that I will always consider an American hero.
Hey Tom, I missed his speech today. Thank you for sharing what you did with us. Heather covered it also. A lot of very good comments there too tonight.
loved that speech. How anyone can look at this, compare it to a trump rant-salad, and think Biden is the one suffering from dementia is beyond me.
Some people ask why he isn't more energetic, more loud, more flamboyant. He's speaking to our MINDS, idiots. Not to some reality show audience, not to folks who think "entertainment" is the only feature one needs in a national leader.
Joe is right in reminding us of our higher purpose and duty, our country's position in the universe, and of the maga asteroid of annihilation coming in our direction. One party wants to correct while the other wants to destroy with no plan to rebuild because they revel in loud noise and toxic dust clouds. The latter are on the side of our adversaries, especially Russia, whose gloating is becoming deafening.
In my opinion, Biden’s speech was epic today ! Yes, he has his flaws (as we all do ) and many criticize him for not “fighting “ back, weak messaging ++.But I believe his timing is spot on. He was waiting for the house of cards to start tumbling down…💙 Although we all have much work to do…✍️📣🏃🏻♀️📞
The DNC needs to wake up
The DNC needs a "fresh, young, new" blood transfusion. Perhaps even a brain transplant.
They just need to adhere to the democratic party of LBJ (without Nam), People in Texas,
remembered who had fought for their very existence. remember that and counter the propaganda - every single bit. Ignoring it brought us here, Repubs have made us their enemy, and chump reiterates this with every breath.
Well, Joe and Kamala are not who I was thinking of when I stated that the DNC needs younger blood and maybe a brain transplant.
In fact, I must retract my statement and admit I was quite mistaken about who comprises the Chair and Vice chairs of the DNC. The Chairman and Vice Chairs of the DNC are younger than I thought. The Chair of the DNC is Jaime Harrison and Vice Chairs are Tammy Duckworth, Gretchen Whitmer and Henry Muñoz, III. I'm not sure why I thought the DNC was made up of more complacent, somewhat out-of-touch older Dems (like me--ouch. I was being ageist, too...my bad!!!), but clearly it is not and I apologize.
They have changed in recent years,, haven't they. Lot of catching up to do
I might ordinarily agree that the party could use younger leadership were we not in the midst of this generation's FDR administration. I would hope to see the pivot underway be complete and legs firmly in place for the progressive transformation Mr Biden and Ms Harris have committed us to. Besides, Ms Harris is a member of the younger generation. My hopes are that the Biden/Harris second administration recruits and mentors rising stars into the administration, into leadership positions, in order to both realize the goals we aspire to in this transformation and to prepare them to lead forward from experience as well as youthful charisma. In what could possibly be my last presidential election in 2028, I'd welcome a field of candidates bred by Joe !nd Kamala competing for that high office who know what they are talking about and weren't compelled to offer a new and grand alternative simply to be competitive with a MAGA alternative. Remember we are trying to Build Back Better, not reinvent.
We've got the young but they are deferring to Joe, which is why I hold out hope that Joe will hand the baton to one of them next year. It would jolt and jumpstart the whole election process. The GOP would be knocked back on its heels.
This. Is. Not. Going. To. Happen.
The last time a President did such a thing was LBJ in 1968. I don't think I need to restate the history that flowed from that decision. Watch - the public is figuring out what is what with Trump, and the House Republicans are going to "get theirs" for what they are doing.
yeah...we've got to continue to quell this kind of talk. if the last seven or four years had been completely different (i.e.--"normal" on any level), and if there were a group of highly active, vocal, visible, young Dems, right now would be late in the game to start grooming one of them to run a good campaign and win, but it would be a POSSIBILITY.
but the last eight years have been the last eight years. history is not "normal" (if it ever was). the equivalent to Vietnam now is, oddly enough, not a philosophy or policy but a subliterate, sociopathic slumlord. period.
do a two-minute thought experiment...it ends with TFF back in the catbird seat, at which point the historians must start to sharpen their pencils for those long, probing elegies for our "experiment in self-rule," assuming their jailers allow them writing materials.
if anything, what's going on now is a whole lot less complicated than they were then...
It would jolt me too
You assembled some great comments by our President, TC. Thank you. This helps me get a clear view of the big picture.
Thank you Tom. These are words that need to be copied and passed to everyone we know.
Copy away! :-)
So well said, Mr. President! Thank you.
Res ipsa loquitur? Well, yes.
But more importantly, in those few minutes, President Biden spoke the unvarnished truth not only *to* us; he spoke it *for* us - for those who believe in the power of ideals - to those who believe only in blood and soil and power. And he could have not been more clear in what he said.
And it's about time.
The gloves are off. And while the President may indeed be old, while he may appear frail at times, were those the words of a *weak* man, of a man of anything other than strong heart and strong character? A man who's the anthesis of the man and the movement hell bent on the destruction of American idealism and democracy and all which that would mean?
In a more perfect world, we'd perhaps have a more physically vigorous and charismatic leader. But in the realities of the world we're actually living in with the challenges we face, I'll take the character of the leader we have over charisma, and inward strength and resolve over mere physical strength all day, any day.
And if you can't get on board with and support Joe Biden and this message he's now delivered because you think he's too old or that he doesn't have some of his other political priorities straight enough to suit you, remember there's always a choice: one can lead, or one can follow. Or one can get the hell out of the fucking way.
Yes indeed!
My introduction referred to the fact "no introduction/explanation necessary."
I took it for its literal definition, "the thing stands on its own", meaning the speech really didn't need any further explanation or comment, which it really doesn't, actually. It was pretty doggone clear. But me...I've got a big mouth sometimes and just can't always leave things alone when it comes to this particular subject.
Not a problem. :-)
Hear, hear, Sir! I love your last paragraph.
Thank you, Tom.
TC, I just sent this to my email list of 78, copying you. Hopefully you'll get some subscriptions. . .
Thanks! I saw.
Thank you TC for featuring Joe Biden's speech today. He is of the generation that speaks softly but meaningfully. He said "Pay your fair share" three times. And tfg and the other extremists ignored it and kept blathering away. And now they will pay.
Yes, yes, yes.
This afternoon on Ari Melber's show he aired the video of Biden's comments today at the library dedication on when John McCain first saw Cindy. Joe and John were together and John was struck by her. Joe told the story in a joking conspiratorial manner with whispers and smiles. He finally found someone to introduce them. Afterwords Ari had Cindy on and asked if she remembered it happening that way. She said yes exactly, "I remember it like it was yesterday".
I was struck by the revealing that they are real people like us. I can't find the tape of just that story, if someone else can please post it here because I'm sure our landlord would love it.
Yes, and then he had to divorce the wife who stuck with him while he was in prison so he could marry the new improved model - who came with political financing from Daddy, owner of the biggest Beer Distributor in the Southwest.
Sorry, I have no interest in the third iteration of the McCain failures. Grampaw ran the fleet into two different typhoons and tried to push the blame off on his task group commanders. Pappy screwed the pooch with Vietnam. Sonny boy graduated at the bottom of his Annapolis class and got Naval Aviation - typically reserved for the top 10%. Then when he was flathatting across Spain and pulled down the main power line in southern Spain with his tailhook - plunging the country into a 2-day blackout, he got transferred immediately back to the States before any identification of the culprit.
When he was shot down (after violating Rule #1: do not turn around and fly over the place you just bombed at low altitude and low speed), he had just been informed he had been passed over for a third time for promotion from LCDR to CDR, meaning he would stay in the Navy until 20 years, no more promotions. Once he was on the Hanoi Hilton Promotion Gravy Train (promotions on time with no questions) he came out of there a Captain. Placed in command of NAS Jacksonville, he flunked again. There would be no third Admiral McCain. The Navy put him in the congressional liason office (getting big boy fun for old boys so they would give the big boys the big boys' toys) he decided he liked politics. He just needed to find financing and a state he could run in...
The McCain Myth is just that. In three generations.
Well, if you put it that way sure. But it's campaign season and all our sorry ass media is going to mention is what was said today, not the ancient history that you and I share. Not like I ever crashed a jet or blew up an aircraft carrier or anything, but the timelines match. Joe knows what he's doing and he told his yarn well.
When I researched Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club, I concluded McCain was not the guy who started the Forrestfire. He did enough other.
Thank you - the McCain myth has always annoyed the heck out of me, and it’s good to see it confirmed.
All of that may be true Tom, having been married 3 times I’m no saint either, I do know one thing, I will honor John McCain until there is no life in me because of his time as a POW, and I would have walked into hell with him if he had asked. So we can disagree my friend because I have unshakable admiration for our departed Senator whose last vote in the senate saved millions from losing their health insurance, and pissed off the insipid one no end.
His time as a POW is where he found what he needed to be the guy people remember well. I almost thought of voting for him in 2000.
You should get all of Steve Schmidt's McCain stories from the campaign trail. He knew him very well, obviously.
I’d like that. Who tainted Schmidt with Palin?
My guess is the repugnantkin party, John wanted to pick Lieberman who was his good friend and a Democrat, and would probably been a game changer, the party wanted one of their own and went after the youth vote. Didn’t like her then, like her even less today.
I supported him in that campaign, I went to see him when he won the CA primary that year. I was interviewed by NPR and I told them why I supported him, the next morning here in Atlanta my friends woke up to my comments about a man that I will always consider an American hero.
Truth be told. I knew about the first wife, but not the rest. He was a flawed man, but looks like a keeper compared with todays “republicans.”
Indeed he does.
Hey Tom, I missed his speech today. Thank you for sharing what you did with us. Heather covered it also. A lot of very good comments there too tonight.
Love, love LOVE!! We are indeed fortunate to have this president at this time!
Thank you, Tom.
loved that speech. How anyone can look at this, compare it to a trump rant-salad, and think Biden is the one suffering from dementia is beyond me.
Some people ask why he isn't more energetic, more loud, more flamboyant. He's speaking to our MINDS, idiots. Not to some reality show audience, not to folks who think "entertainment" is the only feature one needs in a national leader.
Thanks Tom, for turning me on to your Substack. Spot on relevant and the Biden quotes say it all.
Joe is right in reminding us of our higher purpose and duty, our country's position in the universe, and of the maga asteroid of annihilation coming in our direction. One party wants to correct while the other wants to destroy with no plan to rebuild because they revel in loud noise and toxic dust clouds. The latter are on the side of our adversaries, especially Russia, whose gloating is becoming deafening.